They boast a combined 122 million followers on Instagram and are two of the finest sports people on the planet. Now, Paris Saint-Germain star Kylian Mbappé and NBA legend LeBron James are Nike’s ‘Chosen 2’. The talented footballer and iconic B-baller are being celebrated by the giant sports brand with the release of the Mercurial Mbappé Chosen 2 boot and the LeBron 18 Chosen 2 which the duo will wear respectively in upcoming matches.
Marking the impact the two stars are having on the current generation, their paths have been fused together in the making and design of the footwear range, focusing on the pairs bond to where they come from. Described as homegrown heroes, Mbappé, who is still only 22, hails from the Bondy suburb of the French capital, while LeBron is from Akron, in Ohio. From those communities, the duo soared to become two of the most recognisable sports figures this century and want to give back.
The Mbappé Mercurial features a KM X LBJ symbol on the heel tabs, a ‘Chosen One’ logo sits on the boots toe, the sole comes in a futuristic silver and blue and two Nike Swooshes sit on top of one another. The LeBron sneaker, meanwhile, comes with a Knitposite 2.0 upper, translucent sole and boasts a double Swoosh on the forefoot and a basketball x football graphic.
As well, the pair have swapped social media avatars as part of the campaign, such is the deep level of respect between the two.
“No matter where I go in the world, I will always be just a kid from Akron,” James said. “And I will always use my platform and do everything I can to uplift and empower the kids coming up after me. It’s about creating real, tangible change, and always leaving a place better than you found it. That’s why my Foundation continues to build and add more layers to our work that immediately address our kids’ and families’ needs.
“Like Kylian, I will continue to inspire people to do more and be more because the world needs all of our bests right now. We will continue doing everything we can to not just lead, but to act and empower others every step of the way.”
"LeBron is a unique champion and I have the deepest respect for him, on but also off the court,” Mbappé said. “He is an inspiration to me. From Akron to Paris, we are both taking action to move the lines in our society and offer a better world to the younger generation. I truly hope our common message will have a strong social impact and this is just the beginning of our stories.
“I want to inspire and carry this young generation, to show them everything is possible. I feel that this is our responsibility at this moment in time – to be vocal, to pave the way, to be the voice of the unheard – and perhaps even be role models they can look up to.”
Nike will make a donation to the LeBron James Family Foundation and the Mbappé IBKM foundation. The range will be released on the Nike webstore on January 9 here.
